Baithak - A place where Pakistani Bloggers get United.
Another poll of Pakistanis has been released. The irony is that Pakistani voices are being increasingly heard, but it stops right there. There’s no actualization.
Not only do I see public anger building, but also an ugly end-product. Those responsible–and there are many–will wash their hands, describing it all as inevitable.
The International Republican Institute published […]
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By Baithak.Net
1) Securing Pakistan’s Tribal Belt [PDF]
COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
DANIEL MARKEY, Senior Fellow for India, Pakistan, and South Asia
2) Reforming Pakistan’s Police [SUMMARY] | [PDF]
INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP
* Here’s a ~2002 report by Shoaib Suddle on the same topic.
3) Indian and Pakistani Publics Show Flexibility on Kashmir [SUMMARY] | [FULL REPORT] | [QUESTIONNIARE]
WORLDPUBLICOPINION.ORG
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Almost a year ago, I wrote an op-ed for Lahore’s Daily Times describing an emerging phenomenon I called the “push on Pakistan.” [The paper’s editors took out the word “on” and made a ‘liberal’ (pun intended) edit or two.]
But, in light of the heightened pressure on Pakistan from Washington and the increased role of the […]
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I have drafted many posts in recent weeks, but have not had the chance to complete them. As a result, below is a large posting dealing with a wide array of topics.———————————–Pulling at Karachi’s Ethnic-Linguistic SeamsKarachi, Pakistan’s largest city and commercial capital, was hit by a series of explosions this evening. There was no suicide […]
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The Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) made major gains in today’s by-elections. It won ten additional seats in the Punjab Provincial Assembly.Two belong to Shahbaz Sharif. He’ll have to give up one of them; the results of both could even be nullified.Still, the PML-N is now better placed to control Punjab without the support of […]
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PPP Co-chairman Asif Zardari paired up with Punjab Governor Salman Taseer at a rally today in Lahore to do their own muscle flexing. Zardari wasn’t able to fire up the crowd as Nawaz had done twice last week. But he did say his party can hold a long march of its own. […]
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Salman Taseer, governor of Punjab and illegitimate offspring of the PPP-Musharraf affair, called the Long March a “dud” and a “failure.” He said the PPP’s teenage leader, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who does not speak Urdu (or Punjabi), would begin a mass contact tour in Punjab this August when on summer vacation from school. The ‘child […]
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Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has become the scapegoat for the country’s present economic challenges. Much of the blame is well-deserved, though many of his former allies have put a disproportionate amount of responsibility on him to save themselves.However flawed or failed his economic policies, Aziz manages to get some things right in an […]
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By Baithak.Net
Our servers have been extremely slow and often unresponsive over the past few days. This has made both visiting and [my] posting to the site fairly prohibitive. Server speed has since returned to reasonably tolerable levels now. My apologies !
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A car bomb blast at the Danish embassy in Islamabad has killed at least eight individuals and injuring eight. The attack occurred in an affluent area of the city (F-6-2), somewhat near the Luna Caprese restaurant that was attacked in March.
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June has begun. Pakistan is set to simmer this summer.The People’s Party’s proposed constitutional package will soon be debated in parliament. Pressure on Pervez Musharraf to resign will increase. The summer heat will be met by scheduled blackouts. At the month’s end, by-elections will take place, including the Sharif brothers as […]
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Tribal elders today demanded that FATA be made Pakistan’s fifth province or given a special status like the Northern Areas. They seek the integration of their region into Pakistan’s mainstream yet do not want to lose their influence nor their areas’ distinctness. The Awami National Party (ANP), which leads the NWFP-governing coalition, would like […]
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A headline this week in a Pakistani paper read, “Something is about to happen.” Alas, nothing did.There was immense speculation of the imminence of Pervez Musharraf’s resignation and departure from Pakistan.Asif Zardari called the retired general a relic of the past. The Muslim League (Nawaz) and the lawyers’ movement called for putting Musharraf on trial. Some said there was a rift […]
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The opposition to Pervez Musharraf is taking a worrisome turn — one that Musharraf’s supporters inside and outside of Pakistan should take heed of. Those who would like to see Musharraf’s ouster have been frustrated by the prevention of him being conventionally removed. Rather than simply calling for his resignation or impeachment, some have upped the antie, calling for Musharraf […]
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In a national address this evening in Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf sought to legitimize the delay in elections announced earlier in the day. He attributed the polls delay–now slated for February 18–to the infrastructural damage in Sindh as a result of the violence following Bhutto’s murder. The election commission’s offices in the province, for […]
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CNN reports that Benazir Bhutto was to give U.S. officials a “secret” document on the day she was killed. The document details measures by which Pakistan’s intelligence services would allegedly rig the elections. Bhutto intended to give the dossier first to Sen. Arlen Specter then to presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.The […]
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Nicholas Schmidle’s article in this week’s New York Times Magazine on the “Next-Gen Taliban” is one of the most solid stories in recent years on Pakistan’s challenges in its northwest region. Most foreign commentators and journalists focus exclusively on the area’s security predicament, as if it were entirely distinct from its politics and politicians.At the […]
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Earlier this afternoon local time, a suicide bomber attacked a group of police gathered near Lahore’s High Court, the scene of renewed protests by Pakistan’s lawyers’ movement. The attack killed approximately 23 people and injured over 60.The bomber did not appear to attack protesters, but took opportunity to target an event in which government […]
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Bilawal Bhutto Zardari read the will of his mother, Benazir Bhutto, earlier today in Pakistan. It designated his father, Asif Zardari, as chairman of the party, who then reportedly declined the position, offering it to Bilawal. They will co-chair the party. Sherry Rehman, a leading PPP figure, has been on the record stating that Bilawal will […]
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By Baithak.Net
Just finished recording an interview on BBC Radio Five regarding Pakistan’s post-Bhutto predicament.
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Asif Ali Zardari, so it seems, has regained a backbone and responsiveness to public opinion this week. He’s publicly spoken out against Pervez Musharraf, terming him a barrier to democracy. Zardari also spoke of the immense popular pressure on him to oust the dubiously elected president. Meanwhile, Musharraf’s office said today that […]
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The People’s Party and Muslim League-Nawaz remain married, but separated. At the moment, they are seeing other people.Earlier this week, Mumtaz Bhutto, the Bhutto tribe leader and estranged uncle of the late Benazir, met with Shahbaz Sharif in Lahore. Weeks before that, he had said there was no real difference between the PPP […]
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WARNING: Not easy on the eyes. M. Abdullah Yusuf is chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue. Apparently he’s resorted to exotic dancing to mitigate the national debt.Musharraf joins him at the end, but the camera then turns away, perhaps to save us the sight.
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The appointment of Salman Taseer–a Musharraf-supporter, former PPP politician, and businessman–as governor of Punjab has sparked a heated debate in Pakistan. Many argue that this is the first firing short, or perhaps the most audible, of a battle for Punjab, Pakistan’s largest province.But the game is more likely far more complex. Sandwiched in between the headlines is news of the acceptance of the nomination papers of Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif. The […]
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By Baithak.Net
GEO News reports of a missile attack in Damadola, Bajaur Agency, where a January 2006 U.S. strike targeted al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri.Local residents tell GEO that one home has been destroyed. According to the station, fourteen people have been killed.Aaj Television reports that the target was Maulvi Obaidullah of the Tehreek-i Nifaz-i Shariat-i Muhammadi (TNSM). Taliban spokesman […]
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GEO News reports a missile attack in Damadola, Bajaur Agency, where a U.S. strike in January 2006 targeted al-Qaeda number two Ayman al-Zawahiri.Local residents tell GEO that one home has been destroyed. According to the station, twelve people have been killed. The target(s), likely of high-value, is unclear at the moment.
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PML(N) leader Nawaz Sharif wasn’t educated at Oxford, but he’s playing his politics smartly. Today, he announced that his party will submit its resignation from the federal cabinet tomorrow, though it will continue to support the government. And a few hours ago, he unexpectedly submitted his papers for the upcoming by-elections.So what’s Sharif doing? […]
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So here we are, once again. Different city, but same story. Well, story of.The (latest) deadline to restore the deposed judges is imminent. Today, Asif Zardari will meet Nawaz Sharif, in London, to ‘resolve’ their differences. Like the previous deadline, the present one could be similarly disregarded. Like last week, the […]
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Nawaz Sharif is currently addressing a PML(N) party meeting discussing his meeting with Asif Zardari. He said that they agreed that a resolution for restoring the deposed judges will be put before parliament on May 12.
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Time Magazine has released its list of the 100 most influential people. There are two Pakistanis: Ashfaq Kayani and Baitullah Mehsud.
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Time Magazine has released its list of the 100 most influential people. There are two Pakistanis: Ashfaq Kayani and Baitullah Mehsud.
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Nawaz Sharif left his talks with Asif Zardari with a large grin on his face. And unlike Zardari, he spoke to the media. He had something he wanted to say, namely: the deposed judges will be restored by a National Assembly resolution, not a constitutional package.If this verbal promise becomes a reality, Sharif […]
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Nawaz Sharif is in a bind.Wednesday is the last day left for the judges to be restored as promised by his party and Asif Zardari’s in their Murree Declaration.But Zardari, as evinced in recent interviews, has veered completely off course in the final hour (he was swerving around during the past few weeks). Yesterday, […]
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The previous Intelligence Bureau chief Ejaz Shah–accused by Benazir Bhutto of plotting the assassination attempt on her in Karachi–has been allowed to leave the country for Australia. The purpose and duration of his visit is unclear, but it’s worth noting that Pervez Musharraf, a close friend of his, attempted to post him as high commissioner to that country in […]
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Below is my latest external piece, published at PostGlobal, a website run by WashingtonPost.com and Newsweek.com.The published version contains edits (not by PostGlobal) I did not approve and does not include a major correction I submitted. Below is a more accurate version, which contains my approved edits and requested correction.Recasting the U.S.-Pakistan Partnership By […]
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By Baithak.Net
The Afghan Taliban’s spring offensive has begun.This afternoon in Kabul, two Taliban teams executed a well-coordinated attac on a military parade celebrating Mujahideen Day.One group fired mortars while sharpshooters targeted dignitaries seated in bleachers. Two Afghan officials seated within 90 feet of Hamid Karzai were killed.A Taliban spokesman said that his group did not […]
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Today, Maulvi Iqbal Haider submitted a petition to the Islamabad High Court (established by Pervez Musharraf in a decree on December 14, 2007) preemptively contesting the restoration of the deposed judges via parliament.It’s worth noting that he’s the head of a tiny party, the Awami Himayat Tehreek, formerly named the Pervez Musharraf Himayat Tehreek […]
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There was a much talked about party at the president’s house last night. Those attending included Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ashfaq Kayani. No members of the the Muslim League-Nawaz showed up. The de-facto interior minister Rehman Malik reportedly spent quite a bit of time chatting with Pervez Musharraf. […]
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Baitullah Mehsud, leader of the Taliban Movement of Pakistan, has called on the Taliban to stop their militant activities against the Pakistani government. His announcement states that those who violate the accord will be hung in bazaars.This indicates that Islamabad has possibly concluded a deal with the tribal elders of the Mehsuds, the dominant […]
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By Baithak.Net
Baitullah Mehsud has called on the Taliban to stop their militant activities Waziristan and elsewhere in Pakistan. His announcement states that those who violate the accord will be hung in bazaars.It appears that Islamabad has reached a deal with the Mehsuds, the dominant tribe of South Waziristan (one of the seven tribal areas), which counts […]
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Asif Zardari will most probably be in the driver’s seat, officially, within a few months.This weekend, he announced that he’ll run for parliament in the June by-elections. More importantly, he told BBC Urdu that he’ll become prime minister “if necessary,” giving himself wide latitude to make a push for the premiership in the summer.In […]
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The Dubai-based station al-Arabiya has broadcast video of Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Tariq Azizuddin, who was kidnapped in the Khyber Agency in February. He says he is being held by Taliban forces and requested that their demand be met so he can be released.
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Pakistan’s Ministry of Education has posted a draft version of its 2008 education policy. [PDF]A message on the ministry’s website requests feedback from specialists. Correspondence can be sent to:Mr. T. M. QureshiPh: 051-9262043Fax: 051-9260945E-Mail: tmqureshi2000@yahoo.com or jea_pnd@yahoo.com
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The by-elections for the national and provincial assemblies, originally scheduled for June 3, will now occur on June 18. The period for submitting nomination papers has been extended to May 6. The original deadline was this coming Monday.This gives the government additional time to have the Supreme Court remove the graduation requirement, which currently prevents […]
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In March, the Pakistan government dropped its last court case against Asif Zardari. Tomorrow, a Supreme Court panel will review the Pervez Musharraf-initiated law requiring elected officials to have a bachelor’s degree. They are expected to rule it unconstitutional.Zardari, who likely does not have a bachelor’s degree, will be the greatest beneficiary of […]
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General Accountability Office, “The United States Lacks Comprehensive Plan to Destroy the Terrorist Threat and Close the Safe Haven in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas.” [PDF]“The United States has not met its national security goals to destroy the terrorist threat and close the safe haven in Pakistan’s FATA region. Since 2002, the United States has […]
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Last week, Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher told the House Foreign Affairs Committee that the United States and other donor countries are “exploring ways to export electricity from Central Asia beyond Afghanistan to Pakistan and eventually India.” And today, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson’s met with Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Khawaja Asif to discuss ways Washington […]
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If former Army Chief of Staff Gen. (retired) Mirza Aslam Baig is correct, parliament will soon move to repeal article 58(2)(b) of the constitution, which gives the president the broad authority to dissolve the National Assembly. But in a post-1998 Pakistan, there is a presidential power that is of greater concern to others, including […]
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Pakistan’s election commission announced the schedule for by-elections for the national and provincial assemblies. The polls will be held on June 3rd.Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif are expected to run, respectively, for a seat in the national and Punjab provincial assembly. They registered for the 2007-8 elections, but their papers were rejected due to […]
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Pakistan’s politicians frequently speak of their desire to restore the supremacy of the country’s parliament. The lawyers’ movement has been accused by some politicians, including from the PPP, of subverting this principle.But the parliament itself has its limitations. On today’s Kamran Khan show, Justice Wajuhiddin Ahmed has made an excellent point: the constitution, not parliament […]
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